VA EDUCATION BENEFITS

Transcription

1 United States Government Accountability Office Report to Congressional Requesters May 2014 VA EDUCATION BENEFITS VA Should Strengthen Its Efforts to Help Veterans Make Informed Education Choices GAO

2 May 2014 VA EDUCATION BENEFITS VA Should Strengthen Its Efforts to Help Veterans Make Informed Education Choices Highlights of GAO , a report to congressional requesters Why GAO Did This Study In fiscal year 2013, VA provided over $12 billion in benefits for veterans postsecondary education; however, questions have been raised as to whether some schools are receiving these funds as a result of inappropriate recruiting practices. GAO was asked to examine issues related to schools recruitment of veterans. This report examines (1) how selected schools recruit veterans, (2) veterans school search and recruiting experiences, and (3) VA s actions to help veterans make informed decisions and to identify inappropriate recruiting practices. For the first question, GAO interviewed officials from 9 schools and reviewed websites of 30 additional schools; both groups were selected for variation in sector (public, nonprofit, and for-profit) and other criteria. For the second question, GAO surveyed a nationally representative group of student veterans, producing results generalizable to the student veteran population. For the third question, GAO reviewed relevant federal requirements and agency documents and interviewed agency officials. GAO also spoke with veteran and higher education organizations. What GAO Recommends GAO recommends that VA improve outreach and accessibility of its educational counseling services and more consistently develop and communicate realistic timelines as it implements initiatives based on federal requirements. VA agreed with GAO s recommendations and noted its current efforts to improve its outreach and planning efforts. The Department of Education had no comments on our findings or recommendations. View GAO For more information, contact Melissa Emrey-Arras at (617) or emreyarrasm@gao.gov. What GAO Found Selected schools used various practices, from mass advertising to individual outreach, to recruit and inform prospective student veterans. Eight of nine schools GAO interviewed reported advertising in print or online media dedicated to military audiences. Most of the nine schools contacted veterans directly by phone or , sometimes with military-focused recruiters, to provide information on benefits or services or to highlight the school as military-friendly. Further, 29 of the 30 school websites GAO reviewed included a section specifically for veterans, some of which were featured prominently on the home page. Many surveyed veterans reported that school communication was in selecting a school; however, nearly 23 percent (about 15,200 veterans when generalized nationally) reported excessive contacts from schools and an estimated 10 percent (about 6,900 veterans nationwide) said they felt pressure to enroll. In addition, while most surveyed veterans reported receiving generally accurate information from their school, about 23 percent (about 16,500 veterans nationwide) reported receiving some information they viewed as inaccurate, such as estimated student loan debt. Many veterans also wanted more information from their schools, such as on veteran support services (see figure below). Inaccurate or incomplete information can lead veterans to choose schools that do not meet their needs and exhaust their benefits before achieving their goals. Veteran and higher education groups said that greater access to independent and objective advice would help veterans with their education choices. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has taken steps to inform and protect student veterans, but some efforts have been insufficient. VA is developing tools to help veterans understand their education benefits and compare information on schools. VA has also taken some action to improve veterans awareness of its free education counseling services, as required by law, but its efforts to expand awareness among prospective students and ease the application process have been limited. At the same time, almost half of surveyed veterans were not aware of VA s counseling when considering schools. To help identify misleading or aggressive recruiting, VA has launched a new complaint system, created a riskbased approach to oversee schools, and taken other steps. While VA has made some progress implementing federally required initiatives, its project planning has lacked realistic timelines and goals in contrast to sound planning practices. As a result, Congress and others lack information on VA's progress implementing planned initiatives to protect and inform student veterans. United States Government Accountability Office

3 Contents Letter 1 Background 4 Selected Schools Use Veteran-Focused Recruiting Practices Ranging from National Advertising to Individual Communication 9 A Large Number of Veterans Reported Experiencing Problems with School Interactions and Facing Challenges Obtaining Complete School Information 16 VA Is Taking Steps to Better Inform and Protect Student Veterans, but Its Counseling Outreach and Planning Efforts Are Insufficient 26 Conclusions 40 Recommendations for Executive Action 40 Agency Comments and Our Evaluation 41 Appendix I Objectives, Scope, and Methodology 44 Appendix II Survey of Veterans Educational Decisions 49 Appendix III Comments from the Department of Veterans Affairs 75 Appendix IV Comments from the Department of Education 79 Appendix V GAO Contact and Staff Acknowledgments 81 Related GAO Products 82 Page i

4 Table Table 1: Selected VA Initiatives Based on Information and Oversight Requirements in Executive Order and Public Law Figures Figure 1: Beneficiaries of VA Education Programs, Fiscal Years Figure 2: Selected Advertising Practices for Veteran or Military Students Reported by Nine Schools 12 Figure 3: Estimated Percentage of Student Veterans Who Reported Receiving Generally Inaccurate Information from Their Schools and Estimated Number of Student Veterans When Generalized to the Population 20 Figure 4: Estimated Percentage of Student Veterans Who Reported Wanting More Information from Schools and Estimated Number of Student Veterans When Generalized to the Population 24 Figure 5: Part of VA s GI Bill Website Featuring Informational Tools and Resources for Choosing a School 31 Abbreviations Education Post-9/11 GI Bill VA Yellow Ribbon Program U.S. Department of Education Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008 U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Yellow Ribbon GI Education Enhancement Program This is a work of the U.S. government and is not subject to copyright protection in the United States. The published product may be reproduced and distributed in its entirety without further permission from GAO. However, because this work may contain copyrighted images or other material, permission from the copyright holder may be necessary if you wish to reproduce this material separately. Page ii

5 441 G St. N.W. Washington, DC May 13, 2014 The Honorable Patty Murray Chairman Committee on the Budget United States Senate The Honorable Bernie Sanders Chairman Committee on Veterans Affairs United States Senate The Honorable Jay Rockefeller United States Senate In fiscal year 2013, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) provided over $12 billion in benefits for veterans postsecondary education; however, questions have been raised as to whether some schools receive such funds as a result of inappropriate recruiting practices. 1 Since the Post- 9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008 (Post-9/11 GI Bill) went into effect, the number of veterans receiving VA education benefits has almost doubled to over 1 million in fiscal year 2013 and the use of these benefits will continue to grow as the number of post-9/11 veterans is expected to increase to more than 5 million by Because of these education benefits, schools may be particularly interested in enrolling veterans. For-profit schools may have added incentive to enroll veterans because of requirements related to other federal student aid programs 1 In this report, we use the term recruiting to mean to seek to enroll students in a school. Recruiting would involve a school s advertising, marketing, outreach, contacts, and communication with students. 2 Pub. L. No , tit. V, 122 Stat. 2323, For the Post-9/11 GI Bill, VA makes tuition and fee payments directly to schools. Other VA education programs typically provide a fixed monthly payment to a veteran to be used for tuition, books, or living expenses while in school. Page 1

6 administered by the Department of Education (Education). 3 Recent congressional hearings and press accounts have included anecdotal reports of veterans experiencing aggressive recruiting practices or being misled by school recruiters. Additionally, some state attorneys general have begun investigations or filed lawsuits against schools for deceptive marketing and other consumer fraud concerns regarding veterans or other students, while the Federal Trade Commission recently issued a notice advising veterans about how to avoid schools that may pressure them to enroll in a program that does not meet their educational needs. 4 Reports of misleading and aggressive school recruiting practices, as well as concerns about whether veterans have access to clear and accurate information about schools, have resulted in recent federal actions. Specifically, the President issued Executive Order 13607, which calls on VA and other agencies to strengthen enforcement mechanisms to ensure that schools are not engaged in deceptive or aggressive recruiting practices toward veteran and military students. 5 In addition, legislation enacted in January 2013 (Public Law ) required VA to develop a comprehensive policy to improve outreach and transparency to veterans and provide information to help veterans make informed education choices. 6 Given the large and growing federal investment in veterans education benefits, GAO was asked to examine issues related to schools recruitment of veterans. This report provides information on the following questions: 3 Specifically, for-profit schools (referred to as proprietary institutions of higher education in statute) must comply with the 90/10 rule in order to maintain their eligibility for federal student aid programs, such as Pell Grants and federal student loans. 20 U.S.C. 1094(a)(24). Under this requirement, for-profit schools must obtain at least 10 percent of their total revenues from sources other than federal student aid programs. VA education payments are not counted as federal student aid for this purpose and, as a result, enrolling veterans helps for-profit schools meet the 90/10 rule. 4 See Federal Trade Commission, Choosing a College: 8 Questions to Ask (Washington, DC: January 2014). An online version of this notice can be found at 5 Establishing Principles of Excellence for Educational Institutions Serving Service Members, Veterans, Spouses, and Other Family Members, Exec. Order No. 13,607, 77 Fed. Reg. 25,861 (April 27, 2012). 6 Act of January 10, 2013, Pub. L. No , 1, 126 Stat. 2398, Page 2

7 1. How do selected schools recruit veterans? 2. What are the school search and recruiting experiences of student veterans? 3. What actions has VA taken to help veterans make informed education decisions and to identify inappropriate school recruiting? To address the first question, we conducted phone interviews with officials from nine schools (three schools in each sector public, for-profit, and nonprofit) to gather information on the extent and ways they reach out to veterans and military servicemembers. 7 We also reviewed the websites of an additional 30 schools (10 per sector) to review basic information on how schools websites are used to engage interested students and to provide information aimed at prospective veteran or military students. We selected the schools for our interviews and website analysis for variation in sector, VA funding levels, and level of degrees offered (e.g., bachelor s vs. associate s), among other criteria. All of our selected schools received at least $2 million in total Post-9/11 GI Bill payments from fiscal years 2010 through 2011, the most recent data available when we selected our schools. The information gathered from our school interviews and website review is not generalizable to all schools, but is useful in illustrating the range of recruiting practices used by selected schools. To address the second question, we administered a survey to a nationally representative sample of 900 recently enrolled student veterans (300 per sector) to ask about their recruiting experiences and information they received from their current school. A total of 254 students responded to the survey an unweighted response rate of 28 percent. We conducted a nonresponse bias analysis with available administrative data from the sample population to determine whether any characteristics were correlated with the propensity to respond. We determined that our survey respondents were more likely to be older than the general population of veterans using VA education benefits. We therefore adjusted the sample weights so that our survey responses reflect the age distribution in the population. All survey results presented in the body of this report are generalizable to the population of student veterans receiving Post-9/11 GI 7 While this report focuses on student veterans, schools advertising and recruiting practices are often aimed at the larger group of military-affiliated students that includes both veterans and active-duty servicemembers. Page 3

8 Bill benefits for the first time in Due to an insufficient response rate, we were not able to report results by sector. A detailed description of our sampling methodology can be found in appendix I. The survey instrument and a tabulation of the results can be found in appendix II. To address the third question, we reviewed pertinent federal laws and requirements, including Executive Order and provisions in Public Law We interviewed VA officials and reviewed agency documents to examine VA s progress in implementing relevant portions of the executive order and the public law. We also interviewed officials and obtained documents from Education to better understand any relevant interagency work with VA. In addition, we asked students we surveyed and school officials we interviewed about the content and usefulness of relevant information and assistance provided by VA. Lastly, we interviewed officials from several veterans service organizations and higher education organizations to obtain their perspectives on key issues. We conducted this performance audit from February 2013 through May 2014, in accordance with generally accepted government auditing standards. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain sufficient, appropriate evidence to provide a reasonable basis for our findings and conclusions based on our audit objectives. We believe that the evidence obtained provides a reasonable basis for our findings and conclusions based on our audit objectives. Background Post-9/11 GI Bill Benefits Among VA s several educational benefit programs, the Post-9/11 GI Bill program, which took effect on August 1, 2009, has become the largest (see fig. 1). In fiscal year 2013, the Post-9/11 GI Bill program had 754,529 participants and accounted for about $10.2 billion in obligations, representing the majority of participants and funding of all VA education programs. This program provides benefits generally to veterans who served on active duty for at least 90 days after September 10, For those who served on active duty for 36 months, VA will pay the full tuition and fees at an in-state public school and up to an annual maximum 8 38 U.S.C. 3311(b)(1) and 3313(c)(2). Page 4

9 amount at nonprofit and for-profit schools ($19,198 in academic year ). 9 Veterans may also receive payments towards housing and other expenses, such as books. Veterans attending participating nonprofit or for-profit schools, or public schools as out-of-state students, may receive additional benefits to cover tuition and fees through the Yellow Ribbon G.I. Education Enhancement Program (Yellow Ribbon Program). 10 Under this program, schools enter into voluntary agreements with VA to pay a portion of the tuition and fees that exceed an individual s Post-9/11 GI Bill benefit and VA matches the schools contribution. Figure 1: Beneficiaries of VA Education Programs, Fiscal Years Note: Other VA education programs include the Montgomery GI Bill-Active Duty, the Montgomery GI Bill-Selected Reserve, Survivors and Dependents Educational Assistance, Reserve Educational Assistance, and Veterans Retraining Assistance programs, but not education payments made by VA s Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment program U.S.C Under certain circumstances, veterans can transfer their Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits to spouses and children. 38 U.S.C U.S.C Page 5

10 VA education benefits, including Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits, may be used at different types of postsecondary schools. Veterans may use these benefits at schools from any of the three sectors: (1) public schools, which are operated and funded by state or local governments; (2) nonprofit schools, which are owned and operated by nonprofit organizations whose net earnings do not benefit any shareholder or individual; and (3) for-profit schools, which are privately owned and whose net earnings can benefit individuals or shareholders. Additionally veterans may use benefits for a variety of schools and degree programs, including 4-year colleges and universities that typically offer bachelor s degrees or higher, community colleges that typically offer associates degrees, and vocational and technical schools that offer certificates, but typically not degrees. 11 Lastly, students may participate in a program on a physical school campus, through online programs, or both. To receive education benefits through the Post-9/11 GI Bill, students submit applications to VA, schools certify students enrollment in classes, and VA processes claims and payments. VA then pays schools directly for tuition and fees and sends payments for housing allowances and book stipends to students who are eligible for these payments. 12 VA Oversight of Education Benefits School Oversight VA conducts compliance reviews to assess whether schools that receive VA education benefits adhere to applicable laws and regulations. 13 VA s central office develops policies for these reviews, which are implemented by compliance personnel in VA s regional offices, along with state approving agencies. 14 To conduct these reviews, compliance personnel at VA and state approving agencies visit schools, examine school records, U.S.C. 3313(g)(1) U.S.C. 3313(a) and (c). 13 These reviews are referred to as compliance surveys in statute. 38 U.S.C U.S.C. 3313(b). State approving agencies are created or designated by the governor of each state and staffed by state employees, but are federally funded. 38 U.S.C and The purpose of state approving agencies is to review, evaluate, and approve the quality of educational and training programs that receive VA education benefits based on state and federal criteria. Page 6

11 and interview school officials and students to check, for instance, if a school is enrolling beneficiaries in approved courses and making payments properly. Compliance personnel must also review whether a school s advertising, sales, or enrollment practices are erroneous, deceptive, or misleading, under existing law. 15 Additionally, existing law mandates that compliance reviews be conducted annually at all schools with 300 or more students who receive VA education benefits and at all schools that receive benefits and do not award college degrees; however, VA has the authority to waive these reviews for schools with a demonstrated record of compliance. 16 New GI Bill Requirements Executive Order and Public Law require VA to take additional steps to oversee schools and inform student veterans about their education choices (see table 1). The executive order, issued in April 2012, aims to better protect veteran and military students from inappropriate school behavior, as well as provide these students with useful information on their school choices. For instance, the executive order required VA and other agencies to establish Principles of Excellence, calling on participating schools to end fraudulent and unduly aggressive recruiting practices and provide students, prior to enrollment, with a personalized form covering the total cost of an education program, among other things. Although schools receiving VA education benefits are not required to adopt the Principles of Excellence, VA strongly encourages schools to do so and posts lists of participating schools on the GI Bill website. 17 Public Law , enacted in January 2013, focused on improving outreach and transparency of information to veterans and has elements similar to the executive order. It required VA to develop a comprehensive policy to include, for example, a public feedback system on schools and expand its outreach on its educational counseling service. 18 This free service is available, upon request, to all U.S.C U.S.C The Principles of Excellence promote certain school practices, some of which are covered by existing statutory requirements. For example, as referenced earlier, VA is prohibited by statute from approving the enrollment of a veteran in any course offered by a school using advertising, sales, or enrollment practices that are in any way erroneous, deceptive, or misleading per existing law, regardless of whether or not a school agrees to adopt the Principles of Excellence. 38 U.S.C. 3696(a). 18 1(a)(1), 126 Stat (codified at 38 U.S.C. 3698). Page 7

12 individuals who are eligible for VA education benefits and can help them explore their career and educational goals and consider options for attaining those goals. 19 Table 1: Selected VA Initiatives Based on Information and Oversight Requirements in Executive Order and Public Law Initiative Type of initiative Executive Order Develop tools for student veterans that allow them to compare Information schools on key points (e.g., costs, graduation rates) before they use their benefits Establish the Principles of Excellence for schools which, among Oversight and other things, require participating schools to end fraudulent and information aggressive recruiting techniques Assess participating schools for compliance with the Principles Oversight of Excellence Develop a risk-based approach to compliance reviews that Oversight targets high-risk schools for additional oversight Create centralized complaint system for students receiving VA Oversight education benefits to register complaints against schools Take steps to prevent deceptive and fraudulent marketing by Oversight websites and educational programs Public Law Improve outreach of VA educational and vocational counseling Information through efficient and effective ways Provide student veterans with information on schools, including Information tuition and fees, loan default rate, graduation and retention rates, academic and support services Establish a public feedback system that tracks and publishes Oversight and veterans reviews of schools regarding their recruiting practices, information quality of instruction, and employment outcomes Source: GAO analysis of selected requirements of Executive Order and Public Law U.S.C. 3697A. Educational counseling services are provided by VA s Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Program, which helps veterans with service-connected disabilities obtain and maintain suitable employment. Page 8

13 Selected Schools Use Veteran-Focused Recruiting Practices Ranging from National Advertising to Individual Communication Veteran-Focused Recruiting, Advertising, and Promotion Officials from all of the nine schools we interviewed told us that their schools engaged in recruiting efforts specifically focused on attracting student veterans. 20 For instance, three schools had a separate department for military relations or services, which handled all of the recruiting and outreach for veteran and military students and coordinated with the school s marketing and admissions departments. Four other schools did not have a separate office, but designated an admissions director or other official whose role was to oversee recruiting efforts for veteran and military students. Officials from five of the nine schools also said that they were actively trying to increase their military or student veteran population through their recruitment efforts. For example, officials at a nonprofit school said that in recent years it has placed a higher priority on adult students and online learning, in part, to increase enrollment and meet the needs of the veteran and military student population. Similarly, officials at a public community college near several military bases said that it wanted to increase its student population, with a specific focus on student veterans because they were a large and growing part of their local community. Officials at one nonprofit and one for-profit school said that they were interested in attracting student veterans for a variety of reasons, including a desire to meet the needs of this population and the availability of VA benefits to pay for tuition costs. 20 The information we gathered from our selected schools is not representative of all schools and is meant for illustrative purposes. Page 9

14 Examples of Criteria Used by External Organizations to Designate Schools as Military Friendly Simplified, expedited, or flexible enrolment processes for veteran or military students. Proportion of veteran or military students of all enrolled students. Credit transfer policies that minimize loss of credit and avoid duplication of course work, including academic credit for military training or experience. Campus support services, such as full-time veteran counsellors at the school, mentoring, networking events, clubs and associations, and veterans lounges and centers. Flexible policies for veteran or military students, such as availability of evening, weekend, and online academic programs or accommodating needs of military students who are deployed. Military student outcomes, such as graduation rates or employment rates for veteran and military students. Participation in VA and Department of Defense programs, including the Post-9/11 GI Bill, the Yellow Ribbon Program, and Department of Defense s education benefits program for servicemembers. Source: GAO analysis of criteria organizations use to designate schools as military friendly. Selected schools websites also demonstrated a focus on recruiting veteran or military students, as 29 of the 30 school websites we reviewed included sections dedicated to veteran or military students. Over half (19) of these schools had a direct link on their home page to a veteran or military student section that included information on veterans benefits, the school s Yellow Ribbon Program, or information to help veterans apply to the school (5 public, 7 nonprofit, 7 for-profit). Moreover, seven schools featured veterans or military servicemembers prominently on their home page when we reviewed their websites, such as by posting photos of students in military attire or promoting the school s veteran scholarship programs. As part of their focus on the prospective veteran and military student population, eight of the nine schools we interviewed promoted themselves as veteran friendly or military friendly, and 14 of the 30 schools whose websites we reviewed (4 public, 6 nonprofit, 4 for-profit) used these or similar terms. 21 Schools generally cited ratings from external organizations, such as GI Jobs MilitaryFriendlySchools.com, as sources for their designation as a military friendly school. 22 These organizations rate schools on various criteria, such as the availability of veteran or military support services or academic credit for military training or experience (see sidebar). Officials at one public school stated that they use such criteria to guide them in considering additional ways to support veterans and servicemembers at their school. 21 Two of the schools in our website review cited the term Best for Vets, instead of military-friendly or veteran-friendly. 22 Other rating organizations cited by schools we interviewed or reviewed included Military Advanced Education, Military Times, the Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges Consortium, and U.S. Veterans Magazine. Page 10

15 Officials from eight of the nine schools we interviewed reported advertising to some extent in print or online media dedicated to military audiences (see fig. 2). For instance, eight schools advertised in print media, ranging from national military publications to local military base newspapers. Officials from one for-profit school said that their school advertised in about 20 military base newspapers across the country, typically at bases where the school is regularly invited to speak. 23 Some of the schools we interviewed also advertised to veteran or military students through social media, such as Facebook and Twitter, and online advertising, such as banner advertisements on military-affiliated websites Department of Defense officials told us that the agency has issued proposed regulations that, among other things, would implement rules to strengthen existing procedures for access to military installations by schools. They noted that if finalized, the regulations would limit such speaking opportunities. See Voluntary Education Programs, 78 Fed. Reg. 49,382 (to be codified at 32 C.F.R. pt. 68) (August 14, 2013). 24 Banner advertisements are a form of online advertising that embeds an advertisement into a web page. It is generally intended to attract traffic to a website by linking to the website of the advertiser. Page 11

16 Figure 2: Selected Advertising Practices for Veteran or Military Students Reported by Nine Schools Note: In all cases, schools also reported using these practices for prospective students generally. In addition to broad advertising, officials from all nine schools we interviewed reported conducting in-person recruiting activities, such as participating in education fairs, where they could interact with prospective Page 12

17 veteran and military students. For instance, all nine schools participated in education or career fairs specifically for veteran or military students, with one school participating in around 70 such events a year. Officials at seven schools said that they made recruiting visits on military bases to which they were invited, generally those that were located near their campuses. For example, officials from one nonprofit school said that they did recruiting visits at the 18 military bases where they had a campus, as well as other bases to which they were invited. Officials from one for-profit school said that it visited about 30 military bases in a year, generally through education fairs held on bases. This school also routinely held office hours for military students currently enrolled in the school, and these office hours also provided opportunities for school representatives to meet prospective students who had heard about the school through word of mouth. 25 Beyond military bases, several schools participated in education or career fairs sponsored by veterans service organizations or held campus visits specifically for veteran or military students, such as on Veterans Day. Two recent studies conducted large surveys of schools and similarly found that many schools use recruiting practices that are focused on veteran and military students. In February 2014, Education published a study based on a nationally representative survey of schools that enrolled veterans, military service members, or their dependents in the academic year. It found that 63 percent of these schools provided information at college admissions fairs for veterans and servicemembers, 32 percent provided information at events held on military bases, and 28 percent held campus admissions events customized for prospective veterans or military students. 27 Another recent study conducted a survey of schools that offered services and programs designed for veteran and military students and found that almost two-thirds of responding schools 25 Department of Defense officials stated that the agency s proposed rule on access to military bases would limit which schools can make recruiting visits and hold office hours. 26 B. Queen and L. Lewis (2014). Services and Support Programs for Military Service Members and Veterans at Postsecondary Institutions, (NCES ), a report for the U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics (Washington, D.C.: 2014). Retrieved Mar. 3, 2014 from 27 These estimates have a margin of error no larger than plus or minus 2.8 percentage points at the level of. Page 13

18 reported engaging in similar recruiting efforts specifically designed to attract veteran or military students. 28 Identification of Veterans and Individual Communication To communicate with individual students, selected schools identified a prospective student s veteran or military status in various ways. Seven of the nine schools we interviewed explicitly asked if a prospective student was a veteran or affiliated with the military. While two of these schools asked this on the application, five schools asked this earlier in the recruiting process. For instance, officials at two for-profit schools said that one of the first questions asked of prospective students is whether they are affiliated with the military in order to transfer these students to specialized recruiters who are familiar with VA and military education benefits. Officials at two nonprofit schools said they do not explicitly ask if a prospective student is a veteran, but can ascertain their status in other ways, such as when veterans discuss their background on the phone or because the contact was made at a veteran or military event. Officials at these schools also said that they know whether a prospective student is military affiliated based on the website through which the student came to them (e.g., a banner advertisement on a military site) or if they were on the veteran or military section of the school s website. In addition, officials at four of the schools we interviewed said that they work with military-affiliated lead generator websites that identify students who have submitted their contact information and agreed to be contacted by schools that may match their interests. 29 Officials at one nonprofit school noted that it used a lead generator for one campus near a military base and was considering using it with other campuses. Officials from a public school s online program said the school used several lead generator companies to identity potentially interested students, including prospective veteran or military students. Two nonprofit schools that used lead generators also purchased military-affiliated names through other means. One school purchased a list of addresses for military residents in 28 American Council on Education, From Soldier to Student II: Assessing Campus Programs for Veterans and Service Members (Washington, D.C.: July 2012). Available online at This study reports survey results from a nonstatistical sample of chief student service administrators. 29 Schools sometimes contract with lead generators, which are usually a third-party entity and can help organizations identify potential customers who may be interested in purchasing their products or services. Page 14

19 an urban area with a heavy military presence to send direct mailings, and another school purchased a list of s of subscribers to a military magazine. Although not veteran specific, some of the 30 school websites we reviewed used techniques focused on encouraging students to provide their contact information or engage directly with the school at the start of their website search. For example, 10 of the 30 schools websites we reviewed (8 for-profit schools and 2 nonprofit schools) had a separate advertising link that appeared at the top of search engine results. This link opens up a separate home page for the school that includes a prominent request for a person s contact information and much less information about the school than the school s official home page. Also, some school websites encouraged students to engage with them right away. Specifically, 9 of the 30 schools (6 for-profit schools and 3 nonprofit school) used prominent pop-up chat windows or links to live chats on their traditional home page to respond to questions from prospective students about the school. Once a veteran is identified, officials from most of the nine schools we interviewed said that they contacted veterans directly, such as by phone or , and their school made special efforts to customize the individual communication. Officials from six schools said that they contacted prospective veteran or military students by phone. For instance, officials at one for-profit school said that they had around 400 admissions advisors who made individual contacts with prospective students, and about 60 were dedicated to communicating with military-affiliated students. Similarly, the recruiting official at a public school s online program said that 6 of their 15 enrollment advisors were specifically designated to respond to inquiries from prospective veteran or military students, and that they did not have designated enrollment staff for any other student population group. Also, six schools sent veteran-focused e- mail messages and four schools sent veteran-focused direct mailings, communicating information such as the military-friendly nature of the school or information on veteran or military benefits. For example, officials of one public school said that while they send a general thank you e- mail to all students who apply, they send a second to veterans that encourages them to contact their office of veteran and military support services or seek out the school s former-military peer advisors to respond to inquiries. Officials at most of the nine schools said that they did not make any contacts with students who had not first indicated interest or requested information. For instance, officials at all of the schools said that they did not make cold calls, or calls to someone who had not previously Page 15

20 expressed interest in the school or provided their contact information. Officials from seven of the nine schools we interviewed said that they did not send any s or direct mailings to individuals who had not previously expressed interest or agreed to be contacted. A Large Number of Veterans Reported Experiencing Problems with School Interactions and Facing Challenges Obtaining Complete School Information School Communications Influence Veterans Decisions, but Almost a Quarter of Veterans Reported Unwanted School Contacts Many of the student veterans we surveyed relied on school communication and information when deciding where to enroll. For instance, 73 percent of our survey respondents reported direct communications with school personnel as extremely or very in their school selection. 30 Veterans cited this as one of the highest rated factors in their school selection decision, along with school location and financial considerations. Also highly rated was a school s military friendliness a characteristic that schools promote to appeal to veteran and military students. Additionally, about half of veterans rated schools websites as an extremely or very factor in their school selection and almost three-fourths of veterans requested more information after visiting a school website A copy of the full questionnaire and aggregate responses for all close-ended survey questions is included in appendix II. The 73 percent estimate for the importance of direct communications with schools has a interval that ranges from 66 to 80 percent. 31 The 54 percent estimate for the importance of school websites has a interval that ranges from 46 to 62 percent. The 73 percent estimate for website follow-up has a interval that ranges from 66 to 80 percent. Page 16

21 The majority of veterans reported being exposed to school advertisements an indirect form of school communication which, although not rated as in their final school selection, may have influenced the schools they considered in the first place. About 64 percent of student veterans reported seeing some type of advertisement for the school they enrolled in and other schools they considered, most commonly on television or the Internet. 32 While a small percentage of veterans indicated that advertising was an extremely or very factor in their ultimate school selection (12 percent), advertising may influence their decision to consider a particular school. 33 According to a study by Public Agenda, a nonpartisan research and advocacy organization, advertisements are one of the most common ways that students learn about college choices after having spent some or many years away from school. 34 Veterans who use VA education benefits are often nontraditional students, in that they are typically older and have families and did not go to college immediately after high school. Our survey results indicate that veterans generally had positive experiences regarding the amount and nature of communication from schools; however, almost a quarter reported receiving unwanted school contacts. The majority of veterans felt that they received the right amount 35 of and phone contacts from schools. When asked about school actions they found helpful, a number of student veterans said that the prompt replies they received and the conversations they had with school recruiting personnel who were aware of VA benefits and veteran needs were particularly helpful in deciding where to attend school. In contrast, however, about 23 percent or an estimated 15,200 veterans when generalized to the population of veterans receiving Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits said that they felt the contacts they received from schools were 32 The 64 percent estimate for exposure to advertisements has a interval that ranges from 57 to 71 percent. 33 The 12 percent estimate for the importance of advertising has a interval that ranges from 7 to 18 percent. 34 Public Agenda, Is College Worth It for Me? How Adults Without Degrees Think About Going (Back) to School (New York, N.Y.: November 2013). Available online at: 35 The 55 percent estimate for those receiving about the right amount of phone calls has a interval that ranges from 47 to 62 percent. The 55 percent estimate for those receiving about the right amount of s has a interval that ranges from 47 to 62 percent. Page 17

22 excessive, generally from schools they considered but did not ultimately attend. 36 Specifically, about 4 percent of student veterans reported feeling that the school they chose to attend contacted them excessively, while 19 percent reported excessive contacts from other schools they considered. 37 Further, approximately 1 in 10 student veterans or an estimated 6,900 veterans when generalized to the population also reported feeling pressure from a school to enroll. 38 In open-ended comments, a few students explained that their experiences included receiving constant or daily s or phone calls, even after they informed the school that they were no longer interested or had enrolled in another school. In one instance, a student said that a school both called and ed her for a month after she requested an information packet, and then encouraged her to attend a campus out of state after closing down the campus that was nearest to her. Another student said that his school called him repeatedly after he had finished classes to encourage him to enroll in more classes, even though he was not ready to do so at that time. Veterans Reported Facing Challenges Obtaining Accurate and Complete Information to Make Informed School Choices Although most student veterans we surveyed considered the information they received from their schools such as on financial issues or credit transfer policies to be accurate, almost a quarter reported receiving inaccurate information. About 23 percent of student veterans or about 16,500 veterans when generalized to the population reported receiving generally inaccurate information in at least one of the 13 topic areas in 39 our survey. For example, about 12 percent reported that the information 36 The 23 percent estimate for excessive contacts received has a interval that ranges from 17 to 30 percent, which would be a range of 10,600 to 19,800 veterans when generalized to the population of veterans receiving benefits for the first time in When reporting population numbers, we round to the nearest 100 veterans. 37 The 4 percent estimate for the excessive contact from schools attended has a 95 percent interval that ranges from 2 to 8 percent. The 19 percent estimate for the excessive contact from other schools considered has a interval that ranges from 14 to 26 percent. 38 The 10 percent estimate for veterans experiencing pressure from schools has a 95 percent interval that ranges from 6 to 15 percent, which would be a range of 3,900 to 9,900 veterans when generalized to the population of veterans receiving benefits. 39 The 23 percent estimate for veterans receiving inaccurate information has a interval that ranges from 17 to 30 percent, which would be a range of 11,100 to 21,900 veterans when generalized to our population of veterans receiving benefits. Page 18

23 they received on their estimated student loan debt upon graduation was generally inaccurate. 40 Similar rates of inaccuracy were reported for job placement rates, the acceptance of military experience for academic credit, and the extent to which VA funds would cover total school costs (see fig.3). Some veterans we surveyed were not able to assess the accuracy of the information they received from their school, with up to a third reporting that they were not sure if the information in each of the areas was accurate or inaccurate The 12 percent estimate for inaccurate information received on estimated student loan debt has a interval that ranges from 6 to 22 percent. 41 See appendix II for more information about the percentages of student veterans for each area who reported that the information was generally accurate or who were not sure about the accuracy of the information. Page 19

24 Figure 3: Estimated Percentage of Student Veterans Who Reported Receiving Generally Inaccurate Information from Their Schools and Estimated Number of Student Veterans When Generalized to the Population Note: Percentages and the numbers of student veterans generalized to the population are based on respondents who obtained information, which varies for each item, and excludes those who did not look for or did not obtain information. Respondents who did obtain information from their school on a topic area could rate the information as generally accurate, generally inaccurate, or not sure. The percentage of student veterans who considered school information to be generally accurate cannot be determined based on the percentage of students who considered school information to be generally inaccurate. For example, while 11 percent of student veterans we surveyed considered information on credits for military training or experience to be inaccurate, 73 percent considered this information to be accurate and 16 percent were not sure about the accuracy of the information. a For this item, a lower number of respondents looked for or obtained information; thus, the number of student veterans generalized to the population is relatively smaller, despite having a higher percentage of respondents reporting that they received generally inaccurate information. Page 20

25 Student veterans may report receiving inaccurate information when schools provide misleading or incorrect information, but students may also do so if they do not understand the information provided, even if the information is accurate. 42 Given the complexities of higher education information, some veterans may not fully understand the school information they obtain and a lack of familiarity or experience with higher education issues can make it difficult to assess the accuracy of information. For example, while most veterans reported that they obtained information on a school s accreditation, representatives from several schools and veterans service and higher education organizations we interviewed said that veterans sometimes lacked a clear understanding about the importance of accreditation and how different types of accreditation could affect their ability to transfer credits to other schools. 43 If a veteran cannot transfer credits earned previously at a different school, he or she may have to take additional courses, incur additional tuition charges, and possibly use all of his or her VA education benefits before completing the educational program or degree. Reports of inaccuracy can be useful in highlighting areas that warrant additional attention, as selecting a school based on inaccurate information or an incomplete understanding of available information can adversely affect a veteran s education or career plans. For example, representatives from one veterans service organization said several veterans told them that they were led to believe by school staff or marketing materials that successfully completing their chosen program would allow them to work in a certain occupation (e.g., information technology) or obtain a certain type of job (e.g., police officer); however, these veterans later discovered that potential employers generally did not 42 It was not possible to independently assess the accuracy of information provided by schools to our survey respondents. In addition, we surveyed veterans who had recently begun using their Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits and their status as current students could affect how they assessed the accuracy of certain information. For example, students who are still enrolled in school and have not yet tried to transfer credits to another school or started looking for employment may not have complete information about the accuracy of a school s information about transfer credits or job placement rates. 43 Educational institutions can be accredited by national or regional accrediting agencies, and these types of accreditation are often considered when schools evaluate credits for transfer. As we have previously reported, students can face numerous challenges transferring credits from one school to another, due in part to differences in accreditation. See GAO, Transfer Students: Postsecondary Institutions Could Promote More Consistent Consideration of Coursework by Not Basing Determinations on Accreditation, GAO (Washington, D.C.: Oct. 18, 2005). Page 21